Volunteer Spotlight: Sarah Taylor

Why is your Faith important to you?  Was there a period in your life when Faith became particularly important?

I grew up as an Anglican, my Dad was an Anglican vicar, and I grew up with a very natural faith, praying in the family, which was a great foundation for my life. I was received into the Catholic church when I was thirteen years old, the best and most important day of my life. I came to enter the Catholic Church through encountering Jesus who is hidden in the Eucharist. My faith was particularly important when I was a teenager, when I had outgrown my childhood faith and really needed the depth and the fullness of our Catholic faith. I thank God for everything He gives us in His Church, especially through the sacraments.

What is your local Church and are you active in any of its groups?

My parish is the beautiful church of Our Lady of the Assumption and the English Martyrs in Cambridge. In our parish I teach the children who are preparing for their First Holy Communion. Also I read at mass. I find support for my faith by praying with others, particularly in the Soulfood prayer group and in the rosary prayer group – when we pray together, we can support one another and keep strong in our faith.

What do you most enjoy about Church?

What I love the most is that the Creator of the Universe is waiting, lovingly and patiently, for me and for each one of us, in the tabernacle of every Catholic church throughout the world. Then I have to say all the sacraments – that God is always waiting so eagerly for us there, at Holy Mass or in the confessional.

Then more particularly in our church in Cambridge, I want to say that I really enjoy teaching the children, and also I really enjoy singing. I’ve been missing singing this year in church, and I’m looking forward to the day when we’ll be singing at mass again.

Why are you involved with Radio Maria?  (How did you hear about it, what are your hopes for this, would you encourage people to listen and why?)

Good question! I think the answer is because Our Lady wants this radio station for England and she’s inviting us all to be involved! The other answer is that I sat next to our President, Dr Charles Wilson, in the coach which went from our parish to Dunstable for the Rosary on the Coast event in 2018, and we talked together about lots of things – God and Our Lady and the renewal of the faith in England. And soon after that Charles shared with me his idea and intention of founding Radio Maria in England, and invited me to be involved. I’m a trustee of Radio Maria England, and secretary for the trustees. I encourage everyone to  listen, pray and get involved! Each one of us has a role to play, in Radio Maria just like in the Church, and together we can support one another and keep and hand on the Catholic faith that has come to us from the Apostles.

The photo is Fr Sam, me and Dominic Oyerniran – another trustee – when we were invited to join the other Radio Maria representatives from around the world in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, for a special rosary in 2019 that was broadcast around the world.